Strike!
by Topazeyedsoul
Summary: ONE-SHOT! Edward loves bowling. One night, one game, one girl and everything changes. ExB. AU/AH. Fluff.


**Disclaimer: **I don't own _Twilight._

**Strike!**

I loved Friday nights. Friday nights meant bowling night. Every Friday Jasper, Emmett, and I would go to the town bowling alley and play until our arms were about to fall off.

Our parents, bowling addicts, were friends before we were born, so it rubbed off on us. When we were kids, they would take us to the bowling alley and teach us everything they knew: the best ways to bowl a strike, how to not break your arm with the balls, everything. As we grew up, bowling became something more serious for us. Many people might think it's just a game, but for us it was serious sport.

The owner of the bowling was an eighty-year-old woman who took the business after her husband died. She was very polite and would always book the best floor for us, knowing we were her most faithful costumers. The establishment was old and had a funny smell, but it was a familiar place and we wouldn't trade it for anywhere else.

That Friday, we were, as always, bowling. We had just started when I picked up a heavy green ball, staring at it before aiming at the pins.

"Come on, Edward! Stop flirting with the ball!" Emmett complained. He was losing to Jasper and I and that always made him grumpy. I chuckled at his bitterness and let go of the ball, bowling a strike.

"Strike!" I celebrated, earning a pat on the back from Jasper and a snort from Emmett.

"Well I just want to make it clear that I'm having a bad day. You know, Rose wore me out yesterday, so that's why I'm not in my best shape right now," Emmett stated with a wink.

"Sure thing. Didn't you use that same excuse last Friday when I kicked your ass?" Jasper asked, in a mocking voice.

Emmett flipped Jasper the bird and turned his head towards the doors. The girls were coming this Friday. In fact, they started coming almost every Friday since Emmett started to date Rosalie Hale and Jasper started to date my sister, Alice. I couldn't even go all brother bear on Jasper because I've known him since we were babies and knew that he was head over heals with Alice. I couldn't complain about their company either, it distracted the boys, making the game easier for me. There was one time last month where I bowled a spectacular game and Emmett didn't even accuse me of cheating. He was too busy groping Rosalie. For the smile on their faces now, the girls had just come in.

I didn't immediately turn to acknowledge them because I still had one more ball to play, I finished my turn, bowling one more strike and consequently getting a double. I cheered to myself and stared at the screen above us for the score. I was winning, which made me grin.

"Edward, meet Bella!" said the too chipper voice from my sister.

My smiling face fell to a scowl. I told Alice a thousand times to not bring her friends, that this was something sacred for us and that I just accepted her and Rosalie because nobody deserved a whining Emmett. And because, well, nobody says no to Alice and lives to tell the tale, though I didn't tell her that last part.

I turned my body very slowly, trying to stall for time. For sure it was one more boring girl from Forks High School who thought that bowling was just about rolling the ball without breaking her nails. I could already hear her complaints about her arms hurting. I'm sorry, but no pain, no gain.

When I turned and faced Alice's new friend I forgot everything. I didn't know the rules of bowling. I didn't know how to bowl a strike. I didn't even know where I was for that matter. All I could focus on was the beautiful brunette in front of me. She was petite, though not as short as Alice, and she had a mahogany hair that fell into curves down the middle of her back. Her eyes were almost childlike and dreamy with a chocolate brown color.

"Hi, I'm Bella," she said in a low voice, extending her hand for me to shake.

I was so dumbstruck that I didn't answer her or shake her hand. I just kept staring at her as if she was some kind of a freak. She must have felt uncomfortable with my staring because she quickly blushed and ducked her head, whispering something to Alice. I wished she hadn't moved because her hair fell on her face like a curtain, hiding it, and I really wanted to see those chocolate brown eyes of her again.

"Sorry, I spaced out for a second. I'm Edward," I said, taking two steps closer to her. I heard Alice giggle and whisper something back to Bella. That lovely blush appeared on her face with whatever Alice said to her.

"Bella is Chief Swan's daughter and she just moved out from Phoenix. Oh! She said she likes to bowl, too," Alice said, clapping her hands. Obviously Bella didn't like when attention was thrown on her, as the lovely blush once again dusted her cheeks.

"Well, my mom had a phase where all she liked to do was play bowling, so we did it every weekend and I kind of like it, though I really suck," Bella said with a small smile. Seeing that smile on her lips made my own grin double in size.

"Just stay away from Edward if you're not that good. He's going to bug you with every pin you miss. Sometimes I think it's his ego that strikes the pins down, not the ball." Of course Emmett had to open his big mouth in a conversation he wasn't even invited to. I narrowed my eyes at him and mouthed 'Shut up!' He just winked at me, the prick.

Bella looked at me like she really was scared that I would make fun of her moves.

"I promise I'm not going to laugh at you. Don't listen to him." I nervously said. Bella nodded her head and went to take her turn.

I saw that she picked a very heavy ball; it would certainly hurt her arm if she used it. I reached out to Bella and touched her hand very lightly, giving her another ball that I knew was lighter.

"Why don't you take this one instead?" I asked. "You can't use that one; it will hurt your arm." You would think that I had just called her a retard, for the way she narrowed her eyes at me.

"Thank you, but I think I can handle the ball that I want," she hissed, yanking the ball from the support. The weight of the ball threw her balance a bit, but she just adjusted herself and marched to the floor. Bella aimed the ball and threw it, but due to the weight of the ball it didn't make it very far down the lane before falling into the gutter.

When Bella turned, looking defeated and clutching her arm to her chest, I fought the urge to say 'I told you so'.

"Do not say 'I told you so,'" she said in a quiet voice.

"I wasn't going to," I answered. She made a little snort and I couldn't help but chuckle.

"Can I help you with your next ball?" I asked her. She seemed a little unsure at first, but then nodded her head, blushing again for some reason.

"Ok, first of all you've got to use a ball that is compatible with your strength. Don't take this the wrong way, it doesn't mean that your weak if you use a light ball, just that you're not a freak of nature like Emmett," I said in a quiet voice, earning a laugh from Bella. It was beautiful. Forget the sound of the pins falling, that laugh was my new favorite sound.

"Hey!" Emmett shouted. Maybe I wasn't so quiet. Oops.

I lead Bella to the floor, one hand on her right arm helping her hold the ball and the other correcting her posture. I felt her shudder a bit when I touched the small of her back.

"Second, you see those arrows on the floor?" Bella nodded her head. "Try to make the ball follow them in a straight line." I was so close that her scent was intoxicating. Her hair smelled like strawberries and looked so silky that I had to use all my strength to not just run my fingers through it.

Bella nodded her head weakly and stared at the arrows on the floor. Then she threw the ball with such modesty that you'd think she didn't even mean it. Surprisingly enough it reached the pins and knocked all of them down.

Bella let out a squeal and jumped back at me.

"Edward, I did it! I made a strike!"

Her face was glowing with realization, so much that I couldn't help but swoon a little bit. What was it with this girl that had me already wrapped around her finger?

"Yes, yes you did sweetheart," I said, stopping abruptly when I realized what I had let slip. Surely Bella would run away, calling me creepy for saying something so personal. But surprising as always, she merely blushed and smiled larger.

"Thank you, dear," Bella replied.

We kept playing and, I admit, I was trying to show off for Bella, bowling strike after strike and helping her with her moves. Sooner than I wished Bella got the hang of it and no longer needed my help. I had to find some other way to be that close to her again.

I remembered my father's story about how he met my mother. It was at this same bowling alley, many years ago, where they used to play just like us. My father was playing with his team in a serious competition when he saw my mother. She was just playing for fun with her friends. My father said he couldn't care less about the competition after he saw her and all that was in his mind was finding a way to get her attention.

So he did the lamest, yet apparently effective trick: he faked a hurt arm. His entire scene got my mother's attention, and as she couldn't see someone hurt without doing something to help, she ran to him, trying to be helpful. By the end of the night he had got her number.

When I first heard that story I thought it was really silly. Romantic, yes, but silly nonetheless. Right now I thought my father was a genius.

When it came to be my turn, I picked a very heavy ball. Not that it was going to hurt me, I had enough experience to throw any ball without hurting myself, but I needed a plan, so I delivered the ball in a very awkward way. It weakly rolled in the middle of the floor and went into the gutter.

"Ouch, my arm!" I screamed, clutching it to my chest. Emmett raised an eyebrow at me and snickered. He already got my scheme.

"Oh my God, are you okay?" sounded the sweet, worried voice of Bella. I had to fight the victory smile that wanted to show.

"No, I think I hurt it pretty bad," I said, letting out a small groan when her delicate fingers touched my arm. Although the pain wasn't real, the groan was.

"Oh, you poor thing. Stay here, no more bowling for you tonight," she commanded. _Yes, ma'am._

The others kept playing while I sat with Bella. She had my 'hurt' arm on her lap and was tracing her hand up and down it while we talked. Several times, Alice and Emmett would look at us and start snickering. I just ignored them; I had such a beautiful girl by my side and wasn't going to take my attention away from her.

Said beautiful girl let out a yawn and her hand stopped on my forearm.

"I think it's time for me to go home," she said in a tired voice, "but I don't think Alice is ready to leave." Indeed, my sister seemed to be busy sucking face with Jasper to even remember Bella was here.

"I can drive you home, if you want," I offered.

"Are you sure? You shouldn't drive with your hurt arm."

"Don't worry, it's much better now." I grabbed the hand that still was on my arm and gave it a little kiss. "Thank you." Bella blushed that lovely shade of red once again.

"Okay then, let's say goodbye to them." She stood up and walked to Alice.

"Alice, we're leaving. Edward is going to drive me home."

"Oh, I'm sorry Bella, I completely lost track if time! Don't worry, I'll take you home now." I almost kicked my sister in the shin as she said that, but Bella was faster.

"No, it's okay, you stay and I'll talk to you tomorrow, ok?" Then they exchanged that look that only girls have, as if they were having some kind of mental conversation. Alice just smiled and nodded her head. Emmett gave me a wink when Bella wasn't looking.

"Okay then, bye guys," we said as we left the alley.

The drive to her home was quiet, with just the sound of the soft music on the radio. Sooner than I wanted we were at her house.

I got out of the car and hurried to Bella's side to open her door. I couldn't suppress a smile every time I saw her.

We walked in silence to her doorstep and paused there. Now what? I've never driven a girl home before, let alone one that I liked. What should I do now? Kiss her goodnight? Just leave? I couldn't decide on what to do, so I went with playing it neutral and cool.

"Goodnight, Bella. " I nodded my head once and I started to walk away. I nearly made it to my Volvo when she called me.

"Edward, wait!"

I turned just in time to see Bella jogging towards me, stopping right in front of me. She then got on her tiptoes and gave me quick peck on my lips.

"Goodnight, Edward," she said, blushing one more time before turning, hurrying back to her house. Bella stopped at her door and waved at me. I was too shocked to wave back.

I knew I was grinning like the cat that ate the canary when I got into my car. There was only one thing on my mind.

_Strike!_

A.N: One more pointless fluff that came to my mind one night when I was at the bowling with my friends. Hope you guys like it and review it :)

Huge thanks to my new beta, Regan. You rock, dear!

Anni.


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